MOGADISHU (SD) – The government of Qatar has condemned Saturday’s deadly suicide attack in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu that killed more than eight people majority civilians.

The convoy of Mogadishu police commissioner, Farhan Qarole was passing near the busy Banaadir junction when a car packed with massive explosive materials headed towards the entourage but missed the target, according to the police spokesperson, Sadak Adan.

The city police chief, Frahan Mohamoud Qarole survived the assassination bid by Al-Shabaab in a powerful car bomb blast in Mogadishu that left nine people dead and a trail of destruction.

In a statement, Qatari foreign ministry reiterated the State of Qatar’s firm stance on rejecting violence and terrorism “regardless of the motives and reasons.”

“The State of Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the explosion that targeted the convoy of the Banadir Governorate Police Commander in the Somali capital Mogadishu, leading to deaths and injuries,” the statement reads in part.

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group fighting to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognised government, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The group said they killed four police officers in the attack and injured five others. They claimed all of them were the police chief’s bodyguards.